Zimbardo's The Lucifer Effect

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“Our sense of identity is… conferred on us by others in the ways they treat or mistreat us” (Zimbardo 321). As stated by Philip Zimbardo in his novel, The Lucifer Effect, how humans behave and who they are is tied into how they feel around a certain group of people or environment. In the novel, A Clockwork Orange, there are many factors that affect the way Alex, the protagonist of the story, acts and conducts himself. Amongst these, it seems that his surroundings are the most prominent and elicit the biggest disparities in his attitude. Metamorphosing from a docile son to a savage delinquent, Alex’s personality differentiates significantly when he’s resting at home, wandering the streets at night and placed in the psychological ward. His drastic change ties into how comfortable he feels in an environment and with the people inhabiting it.…show more content…
While he is accompanied by his parents and parole officer, he is obligated to act like a prim and proper child, suppressing his real feelings. However, when he is alone in his room, he is truly calm, which is an effect that classical music has in his mental state. “Oh, it was gorgeousness and gorgeousity made flesh,” (37) is a serene train of thought he has as he listens to the classical music booming through his stereos. The genre of music has a soothing effect on him and it pacifies his violent thoughts and feelings. Because of the bountiful collection of digital orchestras in his room, Alex associates peacefulness with his home and, therefore, acts

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